I loved this book! Original, exciting, wonderful use of myths and magic, and adept worldbuilding. It's entertaining, yet explores darkness and brutality and and encourages the reader to engage with weighty themes. I was drawn in from the first page. The use of two pairs of siblings who have to grapple with identity, betrayal, race and oppression created an interesting tension and added more than a simple romance subplot would. Can't wait to read the next in the series.

I adore Fantasy books. I love sinking away into different, magical worlds full of surrprises and marvels. My specialisation at University in Medieval Literature was in large part due to just how many of my favourite novels were based on medieval texts and events. But I found myself getting just a little bored, if you can believe such a thing! While medieval Europe has a wealth of stories to tell, I was desperately looking for a Fantasy book that used something else as its inspiration, that would surprise me and teach me. Children of Blood and Bone was that book for me. Thanks to Macmillan Children's Books and Nethalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange

As I said above, no matter how much you love a genre, you still want it to surprise you. Part of why I get so tired of some Fantasy novels is because they do exactly what has been done before. They see Tolkien and think 'I should also write novels set in a mythological Europe and draw my inspiration from Anglo-Saxon/Norse sources and it will be great', only they forget it isn't as easy as TOlkien made it seem. So when I saw Children of Bloog and Bone I got very excited because here was a Fantasy novel that went down a different path, that would introduce me to a different kind of world, a different kind of language and culture. In and of itself, that makes Adeyemi's novel incredibly brave and fascinating.

Inspired by West-Africa. stories and history, takes some of Fantasy and YA's most used tropes and does something new and interesting with them. We have Zélie, a girl with the power of magic in her blood, just waiting to be awakened. She is stubborn and passionate, but also deeply marked by her day to day experience. And this is why I continue to think of Children of Blood and Bone as brave. Because Adeyemi doesn't shy away from the dark side of her world, of our world. Children of Blood and Bone is full of racially-charged violence, both physical and emotional. Zélie is not just an outsider, she is looked down upon, a second class citizen, marked and shamed, constantly afraid and full of anger. She is one hell of a character to write and, especially considering this novel is meant for younger readers, Adeyemi does a brilliant job at showing to constant battle within Zélie. She is surrounded by other fascinating characters that follow the genre's conventions while not doing so at all. Amari is a princess, but also a rebel. She is a scared sister and a fierce friend. She goes through some of the most interesting development out of all the characters, in my opinion. There is also her brother Inan, who is consistently torn between different sides. He is a truly tragic character and that is what I enjoyed about him.

Tomy Adeyemi's writing is beautifully descriptive and full of power. The way she describes different settings, whether its towns, temples or nature, is incredibly vivid and full of colour and life. I really loved the phrases of Yoruba she incorporated into her novel, as well as the fact she doesn't always translate them. If Tolkien could make up a language and not provide a translation, then Adeyemi can most definitely do the same with an existing language! Her prose is largely straightforward, which really serves to highlight the beauty of her descriptions and also works well for the plot, which moves at a nice pace. At times I felt the novel moved a little bit too quickly, or didn't linger where I expected it to, but then Adeyemi will give you everything you could want at other moments. The one thing she will also give you? One hell of a cliffhanger... I have no idea how I'll make it to the release of the second book in the Legacy of Orïsha series, which apparently isn't till 2019. Guess I'll gear up for a reread then!

Children of Blood and Bone is a breath of fresh air, full of beautiful imagery and hard-hitting representations of racism. The fact Adeyemi brings these two things together so seamlessly and doesn't let her plot break down under the weight of the latter is incredible. I'd recommend this to anyone interested in Fantasy and West African mythology.

Words cannot describe how excited I am by the existence of this book. Really and truly. It blew me away. And it's actually really hard to put ALL OF THE FEELS THIS BOOK MADE ME FEEL INTO COHERENT SENTENCES SQUEEEEEEE- okay. So. For those that don't know, this book has been racing across the Blogosphere/Twittersphere like wildfire leaving a trail of rave reviews in it's wake. And normally books like that have me wary, because hype trains sometimes crash, but I never had those concerns with Adeyemi's debut. Fresh from seeing 'Black Panther' in the cinemas I was more than ready for an African inspired Fantasy.

The story is told from three POVs and I loved them all! I've watched Avatar: The Last Airbender only recently, adored it, and drew SO MANY parallels. Yet, it all still felt fresh and exciting. Zélie is a wonderful example of what a kickass female heroine should be. Strong, fiercely protective and everything about her personality shone from the pages. Inan was my second favourite POV character. Sweet, misguided, infuriating but also adorable Inan. I more than adored him despite his obvious flaws. Amari was also a great character. A slow-builder but she has so much potential for the next book in the series. Let alone non POV characters like Tzain, Röen and Zu. I loved them all.

I mean, this book just gripped me. The plot moved at a thrilling, constant pace. It's setting was stunning and easily envisioned, the magic visual descriptors were breath-taking, and I found myself totally enthralled by everything that I read. I can't believe how long I potentially have to wait for the next book! Agh! This fantasy was EVERYTHING and of course I adored the representation within it's pages. I want to read more books like this!

I absolutely loved this book!

The magic element was so well done, the world building was beautiful, not only that but the characters. I CAN'T!

Before I really get into everything I just want to say that this is a book you should not let pass by. It's beautifully diverse, it's so well developed and even more staggeringly; it's beautiful. I can't even comprehend the amount of times I was mind blown during the process of reading this book because there were so many. And now, after thinking over what the author has created, I am no less shook than I was the minute I finished it.

“The truth cuts like the sharpest knife I’ve ever known. No matter what I do, I will always be afraid.”

Children of Blood and Bone takes what we know of the fantasy genre and tips it on it's head. Although the author has created a very fantastical world with magic at it's heart, she explores so many real life issues and infuses her characters with realistic traits that anyone could relate to. It's clever and extremely well written. She draws parallels to our world in so many ways. Including issues such as; racism, slavery, divides in society, and abuse. This is so great for a young adult novel and the possibility of people of younger generations to pick up on these things and take something from it, is honestly amazing.

The book follows Zélie Adebola; she remembers a world so different to that she currently lives in. One surrounded with the most beautiful magic and a loving mother she will never forget. But under orders of a king, the world changed, maji were killed, and her mother was one of them. When she gets the chance to change fate and possibly one day create a world similar to that she remembers she takes the plunge. With the help of her brother and a runaway princess, they journey to save those who are vulnerable.

“I teach you to be warriors in the garden so you will never be gardeners in the war.”

In the beginning it did take me some time to get used to the very fast pace plot and I have to say that I didn't completely love the story straight away but I think that was because the author made the decision to throw you straight in and not really work up to it. Which is kind of a great thing in my opinion. Because at the midway point something clicked in my head and I was suddenly in love with the wonderful characters. It's been a while since I have become as attached to a cast of characters while reading and I honestly forgot the feeling. I think that the way the author really built the world and the characters as individuals is what I loved the most. They are vulnerable and flawed and so so relatable. It really shouldn't be something new but these things so often aren't betrayed well so I can't really get past it and the amount of depth it added to each character's development. The things these characters go through made me feel so many emotions and that in it's self made this book, one of the best books I've ever read.

“You crushed us to build your monarchy on the backs of our blood and bone. Your mistake wasn’t keeping us alive. It was thinking we’d never fight back!”

The relationships were developed quite differently to a lot of fantasy books I've read. I just wasn't expecting the angsty quirks of humour and push and pull between characters. Of course, I love a good old spoonful of angst but I was surprised when certain relationships develop that I was not expecting and at the fact it was both enticing and slow burn without being overly so. It was the icing on top of a very large cake already full of the most delightful ingredients.

“It doesn't matter how strong I get, how much power my magic wields. They will always hate me in this world.”

The writing wasn't overly complex but it felt almost lyrical while I was reading. The sentences weren't choppy, and they seemed to flow together very well, which made reading it a very enjoyable experience. On the other hand it did mean it took me longer to read than it usually does to read a book. However even though it took a while to get through, the fast paced also meant it seemed like it was flying by which I really enjoyed.

Overall this is a significantly wonderful fantasy novel that is ground breaking for young adult literature. I highly recommend you pick up this book, and get lost in this intricate world.

RATING: 5 Stars

In Children Of Blood And Bone, we follow the perspective of three different characters:

Zélie, who has grown up in a world where magic was destroyed at the hands of the king when he murdered maji. Zélie, now a teenager suddenly finds herself crossing paths with princess Amari who is on the run from her family after she witnesses her father killing her best friend and maid. These two then find themselves on a path to bring magic back while the crown prince, Inan, is hot on their tails and hell-bent on destroying magic once and for all - no matter what it takes.

I don't really want to say anything else because I think this is definitely the kind of book you guys should go in knowing as little as possible and just taking the story in as it is presented to you. Something I do want you guys to know is that if you're a fan of fast paced and action packed books, this is definitely for you! We start off the first chapter with a training/fight scene with Zélie and things pretty much continue that way until the very last page. And while this is a pretty fast paced story, we still get enough time to sit down with our characters and get to know them a little bit which is always fantastic.

And while this book is pretty long (just over 500 pages) it never really felt like it was such a big book! The way I consumed this story was to listen to the audiobook (at 2.6x speed - I have no idea how I was able to listen to it this quickly, as usually, 1.75x is the most I can do) while reading along in my eARC copy because I like being able to both listen and read a story if it's fantasy - especially if it's the first time I'm reading it.

As I said before, we follow three different perspectives throughout this entire book which I thought was a fantastic way to make sure the reader gets to know these three really well while also giving the reader information about a character's intentions and thoughts that no one else got - or didn't get right away.

I feel like the three different perspectives worked really well for this book because we get to experience this world through three different eyes and while you might think that Amari and Inan's would be similar because they grew up as siblings in the same circumstances, there are still very real differences between how these two see the world. Zélie allows the reader to see the perspective of someone who grew up in the aftermath of the Raid and has to deal with the consequences each day.

As the story progresses, we get to witness each of our characters grow and develop further and we get to see them deal with the world around them and the people inhabiting it and see how that changes - or doesn't change, their view of things. And I feel like this is where the three perspectives really have a chance to shine because even when all three characters are at the same place - they will react to things differently due to their upbringing and believes.

Tomi Adeyemi sure knows how to write a story that keeps you sitting in bed reading the book for hours on end because you just can't stop yourself from reading just one more chapter!

Honestly, the number of times I said to myself that I'd just read one more chapter just to realize that the next one was really short too so I could read another one which quickly turned into a never-ending cycle. As I said before, this book is over 500 pages but it truly never felt that long! And I'm pretty sure the short chapters and the fact that you could read through them so quickly contributed to that feeling!

Whenever I have a book with long chapters I often feel like it's taking me at least twice as long to finish the book because I don't make as much visible progress chapter wise. Do you ever feel that way too?

To be honest, when I first saw how long this book and the audiobook were I was quite worried about whether or not I would enjoy this book and have a fantastic time reading it. Big books like that often a bit of a turn-off effect for me, especially if it is an entirely new story that I don't have an emotional connection to already.

For example, the books in The Dark Artifices trilogy are all pretty long too but I am so invested in the characters and what happens to them, that I get excited about the prospect of up to 700 pages whereas with a new set of characters and a new world I'm warier.

But I didn't need to be! This was such a great book and reading experience and I'm so glad I got to it as quickly as I ended up doing! 

If you're part of the book community on any platform, you've probably seen people talk about this book and hype it up so, so much which might have you a bit worried and I get it! I was too when I first got into it but within a couple of chapters I was just entirely hooked and couldn't stop myself from reading all the chapters!

Tomi herself said Children Of Blood And Bone is Black Panther but with magic so if you watched the movie and loved it (I still haven't been able to see it) maybe give this book a chance too and see if it's up your alley!

OH! Something I almost forgot to say about this book, if you have the chance to get the audiobook for this one, definitely do! The narrator did such a fantastic job on this book and I really loved her accent too! There are a few incantations in this book that I would have had no idea how to pronounce so having the narrator do it for me helped a lot!

It was really refreshing to read a work of epic fantasy that wasn't set in a medieval-esque world. Here, we have the story of Zelie, a young diviner who longs for the time when magic ran through the veins of her people, her brother, Tzain, exasperated by his younger sister's ability to get into trouble, court princess, Amari, who hates the oppression of her father and Inan, her brother who is torn between duty and his own desires. The novel is split between the different characters, with each chapter told from a different point of view. This was a really good way of introducing nuance into the story and really allowed for an exploration of motivations that aren't always obvious from the start. The world the author has created is vibrant and visceral with colours, smells and sounds exploding from the page really immersing the reader in the narrative. I thought that the pacing of the narrative was fantastic, with several smaller crescendos in the book that kept the plot moving throughout, while also allowing time for the reader to catch their breath before the next section. My only criticisms are that I found the dialogue a little bit stilted on occasion and I thought that Inan, who was for me the most interesting character, was a little bit underdeveloped. Overall, though, I really enjoyed this book, the world and the magic system and I am now looking forward to the next instalment.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Children of Blood and Bone left me with CHILLS. Normally I don't purchase a book before finishing the eARC, but I was not even half way through the book before I pre-ordered it. I needed to have a physical copy in my hands that I could flip through over and over again. It is the fantasy novel I have always dreamt of, and every aspect of it is simply stunning.

Set in the once magical world of Orïsha, Children of Blood and Bone tells the story of the resurgence of magic and hope against a king's tyrannical reign. It tells the story of Zélie and Amari, the daughter of a maji and a runaway princess, who with Zélie's brother Tzain set out on a mission to restore balance in Orïsha. And it tells the story of Iman, the young prince striving to put a stop to it.

When simplifying the plot this way, the book doesn't sound too special. But it is what is on the pages and between the lines that make it live up to it's glorious title and cover. It reminded me so much of Avatar: The Last Airbender, which from me is the highest complement, because Avatar shaped my reading, watching, and writing influences and continues to do so today. Yet it also stands totally on it's own as a novel that is unique to anything I have ever read before, and despite it's size it left me wanting so much more.

"This is our story. Our history. A truth the king tried to bury with the dead."

The world itself is magnificent. The West-African influences were fantastic, and Adeyemi lets nothing slip through the cracks of her detailed world building. From the magic to the animals to the communities, I felt like I could see Orïsha in all it's vibrancy.

The characters were also incredibly well developed. I understood what drove their actions and it made me feel closer to them, even when I felt conflicted over their actions. Zélie's struggle between desiring safety as well as freedom is incredibly real, and I loved seeing how she felt conflicted with her choices whilst being expected to lead. Amari also had a wonderful character arc. Everything about her seemed to scream naïve little princess, but it is slowly revealed that there is much more to her, which plays in perfect contrast with her brother. Iman's struggle between his identity and the desire to please his father and one day be a strong king were so interesting to read, and the complexity of this inner turmoil had me question what path he would choose at every turn.

Ultimately, however, this always felt like Zélie and Amari's narrative. It was they who set off the events together, and despite tensions, it still feels like their narrative until the very end. Their friendship is imperfect, but to me it felt like an integral part of what made the story so special. Children of Blood and Bone proves that romance is not the only way to raise the stakes and make a perfect fantasy tale, but that friendship and family can also provide that strong emotional connection.

"Do you think they'll tell stories about this?" Amari asks. "About us?"

It normally takes a couple of books before I declare a series as one of my favourites, but this debut was enough to make Legacy of Orïsha my new high fantasy obsession. With complex characters and a stunning world, this is one story I cannot wait to revisit.



Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an ebook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Diversity note: entirely black cast (with one Asian side character)

Warnings: attempted rape, death, gore, murder, hanging, violence, blood, torture, physical abuse, war themes

The YA Fantasy debut that the world was waiting for is finally here, and it is taking the world by storm! If this isn’t on your TBR already, it needs to be!


This has been one of my most anticipated books of 2018 since it was announced, and I am still in awe that it is actually out for the world to read, because it is absolutely fantastic.

The hype has been very high in regards to this book, and there isn’t one bit that isn’t deserved. Adeyemi’s writing style is everything you could want and more. It has poetic elements, and flows so well that you can’t help but completely immerse yourself in the story. I was hooked from the very start, and the power of this book still has a hold over me now, it is magnificent.

There is a split POV within the book, and it works so well. The way that Adeyemi uses it to provide different perspectives on the same situation, and also uses the POV’s to portray the difference in being royal, and being labelled a “maggot” is so well written. I felt I got every part of the story, and the best thing being that I loved every single character.

The way Adeyemi creates her characters is as if the words have been lifted from the page and formed in front of you. Her descriptions of the characters, and the world in which they live, is so vivid that you can see everything develop in front of your eyes, and for such a high fantasy novel this is exactly what is needed. The world of Orïsha is so well developed, and detailed, it’s one of my favourite fictional worlds. I could see the beauty in the devastation it had already faced, and Adeyemi’s writing painted that so well.

Zélie and Amari are two of the most badass, fierce and loyal characters I’ve read about, and the entire way through I felt like crying because I just loved their drive and determination to always do better and strive to make a better Orïsha. Inan and Tzain were also so head strong and I loved seeing their inner conflict regarding certain situations, it made them feel so real and raw.

The magic system, and the unique power of the maji are probably my favourite I’ve ever read about. I loved how the history of the maji was filtered throughout the book, and you never felt like you were being bombarded with information. It all felt natural and added a perfect intrigue to the book, as you heard about more and more maji gifts. I loved how their gifts were so unique and well represented.

Speaking of representation, can we just appreciate how every single character in this book is a POC? EVERY. SINGLE. PERSON. This is what the world needed, and Adeyemi does it perfectly. I can only imagine how amazing it must be to grow up with role models such as Zélie, and see yourself represented within her, and let me tell you she is one amazing character to have as a role model.

The ending left me shook to the core. It was powerful, dramatic and surprising right until the end, but I could not have loved it more. I am desperately waiting for news on the second book because I am completely in love with this one!

Tomi Adeyemi is one of the most talented debut authors, and this book is a powerful representation for POC, for women, and for those who have always wanted to stand up for what they believe in. With it’s poetic and beautiful writing, and it’s stunning character development and world building – I can already tell this will be one of my favourite series.

IN SUMMARY: With magic and wonder, CHILDREN AND BLOOD AND BONE is a fantastic adventure through the land of Orïsha, and though the world-building, romance and climax were far from bewitching, the characters are raw and deeply emotional, and a high stakes plot.

MY THOUGHTS: Adeyemi writes raw, emotional prose, great character development, high stakes and an underlining theme of grey morality, but rushed execution of the Enemies to Lovers trope, the rushed climax, the lack of closure and the plot conveniences made it more difficult for me to enjoy. A very difficult three stars, but ultimately I felt like what let this novel down was technicalities. CHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE is a great book that justifiably deserves high praise, but I just didn't love it.

WILL I READ ON? Yes. This was a decent series starter, and I know more excitement awaits in the land of Orïsha.

Children of Blood and Bone is like Six of Crows meets The Last Airbender meets fantastical West African mythology, and it is incredible.

I actually first found out about this novel when a video went viral on Twitter of Adeyemi seeing her book for the very first time in the flesh. The raw emotion really knocked me for six, and when I discovered that I could receive an ARC of this novel, I just couldn't resist. Children of Blood and Bone is such an original, breathtaking piece - it is beautifully written, the world-building is phenomenal, and the pace consistently builds throughout until THAT CLIFFHANGER. It's amazing. Fans of fantasy, this is a book you will have to read - and now you only have to wait until March 6th!

Loved this! I loved the story, the characters, the ending. It was fabulous! This book is the kinda book you don't want to put down. The book that you can't quite leave at just one chapter. It's fast paced, constantly changing, a game of cat and mouse. There's love, loss, magic and power, all rolled into this wondrous book. A great team of heroines in this story, and of course, heroes. A great read!

Children of Blood and Bone is an intriguing story, set in a vividly depicted African land where magic used to exist freely among its citizens but has been taken away by greater forces. It was a unique, different and enjoyable read in a slightly crowded YA fantasy market.

The setting that the author has created is beautiful and rich in detail. It is amazing to see landscapes and scenarios created with seeming ease but I will admit that I didn't care for the PoV swapping. This is a feature I simply don't enjoy in many books as oftentimes, the characters aren't as well developed and the overall novel suffers slightly. There are some exceptions to this, but unfortunately this novel was not one (for me, at least). The author is very skilled however and created an excellent story and plot and I do look forward to her future work and reading more of this series!

I was delighted to have received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher, as I had heard so much about it.. Will recommend to my students, particularly in KS3!

CoBaB is a wonderful fantasy that truly holds the reader, mostly due to the strong characters and expansive world. I particularly enjoyed the complex god system, as well as the key theme of family that ran throughout the novel. The ending was beyond shocking, and I hold my breath in anticipation for a follow on.

Children of Blood and Bone is a beautiful and intense novel that takes tried and true story lines and plot elements and paints them new and fresh with bold strokes of ingenuity. At 17 years old, Zelie is young enough to exhibit all the passion and fire and mistakes of youth, but old enough to believably bear the weight of the future on her shoulders. Tomi Adeyemi has created an incredible new world, full of exciting magic, exotic culture, and appealing characters who have enough depth and dimension to hook you on their personal character arcs alone.
There's something vividly real about the environment and social structure that Adeyemi has created. This world feels familiar in the way that history has the comfortable weight of years behind it, knowing that if you peel back a layer, there will be more and more waiting for you to discover. And that's exactly what this book does--leaves you wanting more to discover. More about the characters. More about this world. More about this author!

Can't wait to read the full book! Such a strong start and I'm excited to pick up and see where this story goes

For so long, I have been wanting a rich, diverse fantasy that not only features marginalised characters but is also set in a culturally diverse place. Fantasy novels these days tend to have the same types of plots and settings, with very few gems that manage something original and engaging. Being inspired by West-Africa, I knew this book would appeal to me. But nothing could have prepared me for the exhilarating journey I would embark on in the almost 600 pages of this book. It was love at first page, and every page after that.

A long time ago, Majis with their striking white hair, lived in peace in the Kingdom of Orïsha amongst others. Their magic was a thing of beauty and a wonder, a gift from the gods to a rare few. However, upon the orders of the king, the night of the Raid brought the massacre of all Majis on land – including Zélie’s mother – and the death of magic itself. Since then Zélie, along with the other descendants of the majis, the divîners, have been looked down upon and, despite magic no longer running through their veins, treated with cruelty by the non-magic Koshidáns.

When she is presented with an opportunity to bring magic back for good, she reluctantly puts her faith in the gods and leaves with her brother and a runaway princess to awaken her own magic and bring the lost power back to her people that has left them defenceless against years of violence and injustice. Between the short time limit until the solstice by which a ritual must be completed if magic is not to be lost forever, and the characters being hunted by the Prince set on killing any source of magic, the pace of story remains consistently fast, allowing for a thrilling reading experience.

The world Adeyemi has crafted in Children of Blood and Bone is wonderfully diverse and intricate. We have a complete cast of complex, coloured characters, and everything from the clothing they wear, to the scenery of the land we get to see has a lavish touch of Africa and its culture. It was impossible not to get sucked into the rich, vivid setting and follow the characters through the sweltering heat of the desert and feel the coolness of the beautiful waterfalls of Orïsha. I felt as if I was there with them.

Every character, even ones who don’t narrate the story, felt complex and real. I felt the pain and anger of Zélie over the loss of her mother, the horrific sight of which she witnessed as a child. I was empowered by Amari’s fearlessness to persue the path she believed to be correct, and understood the conflicting feelings of Inan as he tried to figure out whether the existence of magic really is as catastrophic as his father has made him believe to be.

The unique magic system, inspired by the goddesses from African mythology, was also something that had me enthralled the whole way through. The descriptions of the magic and its origin are beautiful and fascinating yet Adeyemi shows its dark side too. Though it is a weapon to protect themselves with, in the wrong hands that sort of power can be deadly. By the end, it was difficult to decide which side I lied on, and whether our protagonist’s plans are what is best for them and their kingdom. This complexity in the conflict impressed me the most that roots in issues paralleling ones we see in our world. I have no idea where the story is going to go, or what way will bring about the resolution, and that makes me all the more excited for the sequel.

Despite the horrible events of the book, it filled me with a kind of warmth and comfort similar to that I get from Harry Potter. The characters change and develop realistically, and after spending over 500 pages with them, they feel like family. Take it from me, this is one book you don’t want to miss out on. It is a layered and refreshing story, with potential to expand into interesting directions, and the ending will leave you gasping for the next book. I cannot wait for it to be celebrated by more readers.

There’s considerable buzz about this book so I was delighted to receive an ARC via NetGalley. Unfortunately it didn’t live up to my admittedly very high expectations. I’m left wondering if I am missing something everyone else sees.

Let’s start with the good: the writing is beautiful and rich. There’s excellent attention to world building and Adeyami takes her time setting the scene. Diviners and making, political tensions, a magical system lost and found. It’s a delicious and dazzlingly diverse world too, and a pure delight to behold.

When the story moves along it does so at a cracking pace and it’s riveting.

Now for the downside: the narrative POV moves between different characters all told in the first person. And I found their inner voices uniformly annoying. I didn’t warm to any of the characters particularly and I found them rather one dimensional which was strange given the charming richness of the setting. I also felt the pacing was very uneven- at times it was sllloooow and all tell, tell, tell. I found myself losing interest at points and struggling to stay engaged with what at times felt like an endless stream of inner rambling.

I do expect this to be a big hit and ultimately the overall charm and originality of the story carries it through. It just wasn’t quite th highlight of the year as I hoped it would be.

This book is an epic masterpiece!!!
Generally it is about the fight of good versus evil, non-magic against magic with the opponents quite well understandable. Having lost his family to evil magicians, a king sets out to destroy every human soul that can do magic, destroying everything in his warpath.
Four totally different teenager, magic and non-magic set out to put things right, everyone with a different agenda.
The book is awesomly diverse, both in character setting and above all with the beautifully black characters. Colour is a general big topic in the book, both skin and clothing.
I loved it and will definitely recommend it to everybody!

Children of Blood and Bone is the first book in The Legacy of Orisha series and it is easy to see why the movie is already in development.

Tomi Adeyemi has created an intriguing world in Children of Blood and Bone, a world where inequality is rife and woven into the fabric of everyday life. A world where magic once and existed and now those who once would have wielded it are severely oppressed.

Orïsha was once a land full of magic and those who wielded it, known as the Maji. A land where ‘Burners’ had the ability to call forth and control flames, where ‘Tiders’ could manipulate the waves and ‘Reapers’ could summon the souls of those who had died.

For Zélie memories of those times are bitter sweet. On the one hand she can remember her mother whose face was like the sun and myths of the old Gods are woven into her childhood memories along with visions of her mother practicing the magic of a Reaper.

However, Zélie cannot think of her mother without thinking of the night the magic disappeared and they took her mother away.

“I hear the myths she would tell me at night…Baba’s cries as the soldiers wrapped a chain around her neck. Her screams as they dragged her into the dark…I think about the way her corpse hung from that tree.

I think about the king who took her away.”

King Saran ordered that all the Maji be killed so that even the possibility of magic be eradicated. The children of the Maji, known as Diviners, were only spared because magic didn’t present itself until the age of thirteen.

Now those with Diviner blood are marked out by the white streak in their hair, once a sign of favour from the Gods but know a signal that they are ‘maggots’ and somehow beneath the general population.

Zélie and others like her are taxed beyond their means and preyed upon by King Saran’s guards. The language they once used is forbidden and those who cannot pay their taxes are taken to the stocks and treated as little more than slaves.

Children of Blood and Bone has a helpful guide in the front to help the reader distinguish between the different Maji clans, their titles and their gods.

The book is told from the perspective of three different people: Zélie, Princess Amari and her brother prince Inan.

11 years on from the day magic disappeared and Zélie is an angry and reckless young lady. Raging against the guards and the injustices they visit.

On they day we meet her Zélie is sparring against a girl called Yemi in an attempt to win the right to graduate. Their match is interrupted by yet another visit from the guards and Zélie loses her temper with one of them as he informs her teacher Mama Agba that taxes are to be raised yet again because of her association with ‘maggots.’

After the guards have gone Mama Agba angrily reminds Zélie that she needs to be more careful because who would look after her brother Tzain and her father if she was gone?

Through Mama Agba we learn all about the previous existence of magic and how the Maji were once revered but that reverence turned to fear, hate and violence before turning to the desire to do away with magic once and for all. Mama Agba tells the girls that she teaches them the art of the staff so that they can defend themselves in a controlled manner.

After the others have gone Mama Agba keeps Zélie behind and tells her that she has graduated. She presents her with an iron-lined staff but tells her now she knows how to win she also needs to remember there is also a time to fight.

Whilst they are talking, Zélie’s brother comes in and berates her for leaving their father alone. They rush to get back to him and when they arrive he is near drowned. Zélie feels incredibly guilty because since her mother was killed her father has been a broken man and has needed help from his children but she left him and that nearly cost his life.

“Before the Raid, he could fight off three armed men with nothing but a skinning knife in his hand. But after the beating he got that night, it took him five moons before he could even talk.

They broke him that night, battered his heart and shattered his soul. Maybe he would have recovered if he hadn’t woken to find mama’s corpse found in black chains. But he did. He’s never been the same since.”

With Tzain mad at her Zélie feels incredibly lonely and feels that her only friend is her ryder, a lionaire she raised from a wounded cub.

Baba tells them he was trying to get some more fish to pay the increased tax because if he didn’t the guards told him they would put Zélie in the stocks. In doing so he managed to lose their boat meaning they can’t get the fish to pay the tax.

Zélie comes up with a plan to earn them some more money for tax by selling fish to nobles at the market in Lagose. Whilst there Zélie is stopped by a girl who begs for her help to escape the guards. Zélie agrees with no idea what she is getting herself into.

Princess Amari was a character that really grew on me. Initially I found her really spoilt and a bit shallow but as the book progressed she turned into a character I loved.

When we first met Princess Amari, she is having dinner with her mother and some others and reflecting on her sheltered life up to this point and the fact she has never really left the confines of the palace. During dinner she learns her oldest, best and only friend Binta has been summoned to see her father the king.

Binta is a diviner and Amari is concerned about why he wants to see her. She rushes off to find out what is happening as she senses whatever her father wants it can’t be good.

When she goes to her father’s room she overhears a conversation about an artefact that washed up in one of the villages, a scroll that brings out latent magical abilities in diviners. The diviners became Maji when they came into contact with the scroll. The magic was weak but it was there.

Princess Amari is scared when she hears this because from a young age she and her brother have been taught magic is something to fear because her father’s first wife and son were killed by Maji.

Kaea has the scroll of her and whilst Amari looks on the guards bring Binta before the king to test it. They touch the scroll to her hand and light explodes from it. Then they kill Binta in front of her.

Afterwards she sees the guards take the scroll into Kaea’s room and Princess Amari can’t resist sneaking in to examine it.

After Zélie and Amari flee Prince Inan is summoned to the king and informed that he needs to hunt down his own sister and that he must do whatever is necessary to hunt down the scroll including burn down Zélie’s village.

When Zélie learns of the scroll from Amari she decides she needs to take it to Mama Agba to show her. Once there she realises that Mama Agba is secretly a Maji, and not just any Maji, she is a seer.

Mama Agba has a vision of Amari and Zélie journeying to an ancient temple to find out about a ritual inscribed on the scroll in the hope of bringing magic back for good.

With Inan in hot pursuit though will they make it out the village before he burns it to the ground? Will Zélie be able to bring magic back to her people and is it the right thing to do?

Children of Blood and Bone was a fantastic book and I can’t wait to find out what happens in the next one. A completely unique read.